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Porcelain Veneers Cork

A dental veneer is a wafer-thin shell that is crafted especially and affixed to the surface of your teeth using cosmetic bonding. There are various materials that can be used to make veneers, porcelain is most commonly used because of its strength and appearance, which can be indistinguishable from a natural tooth.

Unlike other cosmetic dental procedures, veneers do not require a lot of tooth preparation and can lead to drastic improvements in the alignment, colour, size and overall appearance of your teeth.

If you want to see some examples of what can be done with custom veneers, please visit our smile gallery.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Does The Crown/Veneer Process Take?

The crown/veneer process is a two step treatment, with each step lasting two hours and being spread apart by three weeks.

An impression is taken and the teeth are prepared on the first visit, with temporary crowns or veneers fitted. On the second appointment, the temporary crowns/veneers are removed and replaced with permanent crowns/veneers.

What Are The Advantages Of Veneers?

The major advantage of Veneers is due to how thin the shell is and the strength of the bonding process, the teeth do not require a lot of preparation, allowing a quick and effective way to make teeth look natural and healthy.

What About Alternatives?

There are a few alternatives to veneers. A natural coloured composite filling can be used for front teeth in the case that minor repairs are needed, although this is not an ideal solution in the case of broken tooth corners, because there will be a visible join between the tooth and the filling composite.

A possible alternative is a dental crown, which are primarily used for teeth that need structural strengthening, either because the tooth has broken, been weakened by a filling or root canal treatment has been undertaken on it.

How Long Will A Veneer Last?

Veneers are made of durable porcelain and as such usually last for several years. Your dentist will be able to advise you on how long each veneer should last.

It should be kept in mind that they are not indestructible; they can chip and sometimes even break, just like your natural teeth. In these cases, the work can be repaired or a new veneer fitted in the case of severe damage.

How Are Teeth Prepared For A Veneer?

There are two main steps to preparing teeth for a veneer. The first is a procedure undertaken under local anaesthetic (injection), which allows some of the outer enamel of your tooth to be removed. This is done to ensure that the veneer can bebonded permanently onto your tooth. The amount removed will be the same thickness as the veneer that will be fitted, to make sure the tooth remains at the same size

After the tooth is prepared, the dentist will take an impression of your tooth, which along with any other necessary dental information will be given to the dental technician in order to make your custom veneer. Finally, the colour of the surrounded teeth will be matched using a shading chart in order to ensure the new veneer matches the colour of your natural teeth.

How Long Will It Take?

The nature of the procedure means that a veneer takes at least two visits to complete. The first visit is to prepare the tooth for bonding, take the impression needed to make your veneer and finally match the colour of your teeth. The veneer is then fitted and bonded into place with a special adhesive, which keeps it securely in place on your tooth.

Will I Need A Temporary Veneer Between Visits?

Once your teeth have been prepared, we will place a temporary veneer on your tooth until the final veneer is fitted. Your teeth will look natural during the three week gap between your teeth being prepared and the final veneer being placed.